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Post by Bruce Tackett on Sept 24, 2018 17:03:15 GMT
FYI - For the last month I have been doing squats. Prior to this, going back ten years or more, I was unable to do squats because of my knees. Every time I'd start doing squats, I would hurt my knees. I'd stop for awhile and then try squattiing again when my knees felt better, and then I'd hurt them again. Well, I am now doing squats three times a week and there have been no ill effects. My knees are cured. I think the main reason for this is because all those years in California, we never lived anywhere that had stairs. Having lived in this house for almost six years, now, I have been going up and down our basement stairs at least a dozen times a day. My weight loss might also have something to do with it. At any rate, I am very happy. I thought that because of age, my knees were shot and I'd never be able to do squats again. Not so. I am now relishing doing then. I grab hold of the ends of my Sierra Isometric/Suspension Trainer for balance, and just squat away. Right now I'm doing 70 squats. I'll just keep adding to that number as I am able to. It's like having a new lease on life.
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MBS
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Post by MBS on Sept 24, 2018 17:41:24 GMT
^^^^well done^^^^^. Do you go to parallel on your squats, or ass to ground?
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Michael
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Post by Michael on Sept 24, 2018 17:44:10 GMT
Well that's good to hear.
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TexasRanger
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Post by TexasRanger on Sept 24, 2018 17:53:45 GMT
Weight loss is probably the biggest help. Less wear and tear, irritation, etc. Biggest source of many lower body and even upper body orthopedic issues.
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Post by Bruce Tackett on Sept 24, 2018 18:45:13 GMT
^^^^well done^^^^^. Do you go to parallel on your squats, or ass to ground? Thank you. I go just a bit below parallel. The first thing I do is to squat all the way down on to my haunches and stay there for about 20 seconds, or so, stretching and "acclimating" my knees, and then I begin. Holding onto the ends of the strap enables me to lean back a bit, or forward a bit, finding that right spot that puts the least stress on my knees. I am really enjoying this. It's nice to feel my thighs getting built back up again.
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TexasRanger
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Post by TexasRanger on Sept 24, 2018 22:11:56 GMT
www.arthritis.orgAn ortho surgeon who did one of my multiple knee surgeries did not like squatting with weights and said they put unnecessary wear and tear on the knees; even BW was not a high priority on his list. (He also felt heavy bench pressing was pure idiocracy as were high volume push ups, so, he was equally critical of upper and lower body exercises. Wherever he may be these days, Art Devany had once shared the same comments on benching, high volume pushups and squats from someone who had some wizbang credentials in orthopedics and biomechanics.)
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Post by stormshadow on Sept 24, 2018 22:12:33 GMT
FYI - For the last month I have been doing squats. Prior to this, going back ten years or more, I was unable to do squats because of my knees. Every time I'd start doing squats, I would hurt my knees. I'd stop for awhile and then try squattiing again when my knees felt better, and then I'd hurt them again. Well, I am now doing squats three times a week and there have been no ill effects. My knees are cured. I think the main reason for this is because all those years in California, we never lived anywhere that had stairs. Having lived in this house for almost six years, now, I have been going up and down our basement stairs at least a dozen times a day. My weight loss might also have something to do with it. At any rate, I am very happy. I thought that because of age, my knees were shot and I'd never be able to do squats again. Not so. I am now relishing doing then. I grab hold of the ends of my Sierra Isometric/Suspension Trainer for balance, and just squat away. Right now I'm doing 70 squats. I'll just keep adding to that number as I am able to. It's like having a new lease on life. Great job Bruce. I also think you eat very healthy and that may have also reduced any inflammation that you may have had. Good for you. As I have said often biking is really good for knees too. Have not seen knee surgery rehab that did not include it
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Post by Bruce Tackett on Sept 24, 2018 22:52:51 GMT
As I have said often biking is really good for knees too. Have not seen knee surgery rehab that did not include it That's another thing...My Pro-Form recumbent machine might have helped, as well.
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TexasRanger
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Post by TexasRanger on Sept 25, 2018 0:10:27 GMT
Cycling was an interim part of my rehab of the knee, post-surgeries. They wanted me walking in a pool as soon as possible and the water provided some buoyancy. The MDs and PT both felt it was more natural than the repetitive motion a bike put you through and no one can really attest whether cycling exposes your knee joint and hips to something that is biomechanically correct. If anyone remembers elite marathoner Joan Benoit Samuelson, who won the 1984 Olympic Marathon? She had knee surgery and 17 days later won the race following that type of rehab.
But, the MDs warn that Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome is a pretty common ailment from cycling typically because our IT band and quads are out of synch from sitting, irregular strengthening, etc. So, just a word to the wise in that regard.
Keeping the weight off is the best thing you can do to keep your knees healthy; avoiding weighted squatting -- either with heavy weights or lots of useless reps -- is another.
As one book on walking noted, for the majority of the people walking is the best thing you can do with regards to aerobic activities involving the legs as it is the most biomechanically correct form of movement for bipeds like us...we were both to walk, run.
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Post by Bruce Tackett on Sept 25, 2018 0:15:15 GMT
I have never done squats with weights. I've always opted for alotta reps. I believe the thighs are big muscles and grow quickly from freehand squats. Another thing is that I've never liked those big, bulbous thighs bodybuilders have.
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Michael
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Post by Michael on Sept 25, 2018 1:01:28 GMT
Two things that helped my knees to not have pain and recover from MCL injuries: isometric pulses with an isometric strap and step ups on my basement steps. Someone else I know used step ups as an exercise and their knee pain went away.
It's not magic but I could see going up and down steps as helping with this. I made the mistake of not doing anything in the past when I had chronic pain which made the pain worse. Also as Stormshadow said diet plays a big part in the inflammation.
When I'm not experimenting with something I have been using some ideas I got from Whiffets's training that have made a big difference in my knees. But if I ever have pain I know what feels good to me. Again Bruce, glad to hear about your knees.
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Post by Bruce Tackett on Sept 25, 2018 2:44:53 GMT
Thank you. My knees say hello.
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Post by dynoman on Sept 25, 2018 3:04:31 GMT
Great job Bruce! Happy for you and your knees,I had my right knee drained last Tues.and had a cortisone shot for the first time in my life,The ortho's PA told me ride the bike,walk in the pool, and walk to help my knee,probably going to need knee replacement surgery in the future,I just do bw squats to parallel, 3 days a week,that's enough.
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Post by Bruce Tackett on Sept 25, 2018 3:51:28 GMT
Great job Bruce! Happy for you and your knees,I had my right knee drained last Tues.and had a cortisone shot for the first time in my life,The ortho's PA told me ride the bike,walk in the pool, and walk to help my knee,probably going to need knee replacement surgery in the future,I just do bw squats to parallel, 3 days a week,that's enough. Good luck. Hope you get better. 3 days a week isn't just enough, it's as it should be. I do upper body 3 days a week, and legs 3 days a week. Need that day of recovery.
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trog
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Post by trog on Sept 25, 2018 11:27:45 GMT
I used to squat 80kgs on the bar (close to my weight) and I never had big thighs, not that I wanted them. Since I've stopped that, and the running for an hour, my knees have been much better. If I do squat, I stick to 30 kgs on the bar, or a similar weight with a sandbag or dumb bells. Mostly I do unweighted squats (bum to heels) or plies.
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